Blood and Bedrest
by yashkonu
Summary: Coco swallows something she shouldn't have swallowed.


Coco knew they'd made a mistake the moment they closed their mouth. The taste was just as Professor Port had described it in Grimm studies class, but words could never do it justice. Burning copper, smouldering brimstone, blood and death and hellfire on their tongue.

Velvet was several yards away, shouting something. Coco couldn't make out the words, for some reason. Their legs felt weak, too. Weird. An Ursa was bounding toward them, but their weapon was suddenly so _heavy_ , and the breeze drifting through the trees was so _cold_. Velvet was panicking, she had that one look on her face. She was still shouting, but her voice sounded so distant, like there were a hundred yards between them.

The Ursa's jaws opened wide.

Velvet's box clicked open.

Coco's knees gave out.

Rows of razor fangs in vivid detail.

Swirling green patterns glowing under Velvet's skin.

The dull thud of a minigun falling to the ground from numb fingers.

Velvet _blurred_.

And the world went black.

* * *

"No way, Coco. I'll stop by the library on the way back and make copies of my notes, but you are staying put."

"Velvs, I'm fi-" Coco broke off into wet, fitful coughing. Well, at least the blood they were hacking up was the right color now. The oily black stuff hadn't been much fun.

Velvet glared. It was like someone had pasted angry eyebrows on a teddy bear. "You're fine? Coughing up blood is fine? Coco, you swallowed way too much Grimm blood; the doctor said-"

"I know, I know." Aura corruption this, internal hemorrhaging that, followed by a lengthy talk about bedrest and protein-rich food. Coco was with it right up until the bedrest bit. Sure, they felt like someone had stir-fried the contents of their chest cavity, and yeah, maybe a pint and a half was a lot of blood to cough up in a half hour, but they were a _leader_ , dammit, and they couldn't afford to just lie around the dorm bleeding all day.

"Coco, look. We got _lucky_ back there. That Ursa nearly had you; if I hadn't noticed, or hadn't got there quick enough, you could be… you know…" Velvet looked away, wringing her hands.

"But you did, and I'm not. You did good, hun."

Velvet sat on the edge of the bed, beside them, and Coco rubbed at the knuckles of their girlfriend's hand. They were still sore; Coco could tell from the way Velvet's eyes drifted shut at the gentle massaging. Yatsu had filled Coco in on what transpired after they blacked out. Velvet had used a personal enhancement spell to accelerate herself to nearly relativistic speeds, and reduced half of the Grimm nearby to either pulp or a fine mist in seconds.

She had also broken three fingers and badly sprained both ankles. There was a reason Beacon refused to teach personal enhancement spells. Still, aura had patched her up in a couple days, leaving nothing but lingering aches and stiffness.

"I… thank you, Coco." She smiled, watching the hand rubbing tender circles into hers through half-lidded eyes. "But you still can't go to class."

Oh, _bullshit_. "Veeeeelv, come _on_ , I'll be fine! It's just Grimm studies, it's not like I'm gonna be doing anything strenuous!"

"Not a chance, Coco. You got off easy considering how much blood you swallowed, but I know your aura well enough to know it's still not right."

Coco gave her a pleading look. It was like someone had stuck pouty eyes on a tiger.

"No means no, dear. I'm not taking any chances with something like this." She smiled, but it didn't quite reach her eyes, and her grip on the sheet tightened a fraction.

Coco had learned, early on in their relationship, that Velvet's youth had not been a comfortable one. Menagerie was hardly a safe place for kids. With a background like that, Velvet's stubborn compassion and gentle nature were… incredible. Miraculous, even. The scars never faded, though, not completely.

 _How many friends have you lost to this poison, bun? How many times have you had to watch someone you loved come apart from the inside because of a mouthful of blood?_

 _How did you turn out so damn good?_

"Hun? You okay?"

Velvet shook herself, nodding a bit too quickly. "Yeah, just… memories. You know."

Coco nodded. They knew.

"Alright, well…" she stood, still holding onto her partner's hand. "I need to get going, alright? There's, ah… there's soup in the microwave, and… and Fox should be back from… uh…" She was still staring into nothing, and her grip on Coco's hand was steadily tightening.

"… From applied dust mechanics class?" Coco supplied, worry in their eyes, "Hun, do you… why don't you skip Grimm studies for the day?"

"Wh-what? No, I… I need to get the notes for you. I can't just-"

"We can bum the notes off of somebody, and I need to cuddle with a cutie. Sorry, hun, but you're the nearest available cutie." They spoke in somber tones, but couldn't resist cracking a grin.

Velvet grinned too, and some of the tension drained from her shoulders. "Well, if I must. But if I'm staying I'm making sure you eat that soup." Their hands finally slipped apart as Velvet turned to head for the team's compact kitchen. "You really need to get enough prot- _EEP! Coco!"_

Coco snickered, and withdrew their hand. "Sorry, honey buns. You know I can never resist."


End file.
